


Should Have Done

by sandersonsister



Series: Soulmate AU's - Haikyuu! [26]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, Pre-Slash, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-14
Updated: 2018-09-14
Packaged: 2019-07-12 07:47:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15990812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sandersonsister/pseuds/sandersonsister
Summary: Kunimi knew that Oikawa was his soulmate but he made sure that the older boy wasn't aware of the connection. But...but why did he find himself constantly seeking the boy's attention?





	Should Have Done

**Author's Note:**

> I was bored at work, can you tell? Lol. Hope you all enjoy, please let me know!

 

Kunimi noticed when he was in his first year of Junior High. Every person on the planet knew about soulmates, they knew about the marks that decorated their body, the one that connected them to another person on the planet. However, it was also known that you might never find that person. They could live in another country, they could have met with an accident and died before you were able to meet them, or they could have just decided to be with someone other than their soulmate. The marks were a way to tell you who the best person for you was but that didn’t mean that the two people in question could make it work. So, when Kunimi saw his mark decorated the third year’s body, he had just sighed.

 

Because he was well aware that he wasn’t someone the person in question would want to be with.

 

He had seen the way the third year looked at is best friend. He knew that they were close. Very, very close. Close enough that most people were surprised when they found out the two weren’t soulmates. Even if that hadn’t been the case, Kunimi was never the person that the third year looked at. If he paid any attention to the first years, it was just to Kageyama Tobio. Kunimi wasn’t even on his radar beyond being a new member of the team.

 

So Kunimi kept quiet.

 

He made sure to keep his mark covered.

 

And he never told a single person, not his best friend, not his parents, and not even his soulmate.

 

Because he knew that Oikawa Tooru could find someone else.

 

As the year went on, Kunimi actually became a bit jealous of the attention Oikawa gave Kageyama. Even if the two fought constantly (well, Oikawa fought. Kageyama just looked confused.), it was still more than he gave Kunimi. He had never really spoken to Kageyama much. The other boy only seemed to be interested in volleyball and, though Kunimi enjoyed the sport, he also enjoyed other things as well. He couldn’t focusing all of his attention on one thing. That was something his best friend, Kindaichi, agreed with. The two would usually go out after practice, either to one of their houses or to an arcade. Kunimi enjoyed reading and he always brought a book in his bag. But he decided to give Kageyama a chance – because if he did, there was a possibility that Oikawa would actually remember his name and stop calling him “Sleepy-chan” all the time.

 

He didn’t regret it. Not then, anyway. Kageyama was volleyball obsessed but he was almost fun to be around. He and Kindaichi could rant at one another about practice, which left Kunimi time to himself even if he was sitting beside the two boys, he had begun to join them on their trips to the arcade or to the movies, and he even joined them at their houses on occasion. Kunimi had been surprised to realize that he actually liked the smaller boy, despite the fact that he had claimed all of Oikawa’s attention for himself.

 

And then Oikawa graduated and Kunimi decided that it was for the best that the other boy had never realized that they were soulmates. Because his earlier thoughts were correct. Oikawa had a group of people that wanted to be with him, even if they knew they didn’t share marks, and Kunimi truly didn’t measure up to any of them. Sure, he was smart and he was pretty good at volleyball, but these people had so much more than that.

 

It was during his third year of junior high that things truly began to change. Kageyama, who had always been extremely focused on volleyball, suddenly became completely consumed. He used to join Kunimi and Kindaichi to do homework each night but he began to blow them off to do extra practice. Kunimi had tried to convince him that it was a bad idea to do so, even he had heard that Oikawa had injured himself the past year by overextending himself, but Kageyama refused to listen. So, Kunimi watched as his friend slowly began to decline. His grades plummeted and he had to take supplementary exams for the first time since elementary school. He even stopped showing up to their weekend trips to the arcade. But that wasn’t the worst of it.

 

He had begun to treat them all like they were his slaves. That he was the puppet master and each of them were supposed to dance to his tune. He yelled at the first years, reprimanded the second years, and even began to chastise Kunimi and Kindaichi for their performance. Because they weren’t good enough. Because they couldn’t keep up.

 

And Kunimi felt the anger in his chest grow each time he witnessed it.

 

He truly hadn’t meant it. To start the “King of the Court” title. But he had. And it stuck.

 

He wasn’t sure he actually felt guilty for doing it.

 

Kindaichi was the one that came up with the plan to turn away from him during that game. Kunimi had disagreed. He had told the team to wait, to see if Kageyama figured out what he was doing. Kindaichi argued but Kunimi was able to convince him that it was only a plan they would put into motion if Kunimi gave the signal to do so. His best friend hadn’t liked it but he agreed, as did the rest of the team.

 

He hadn’t thought he would use it.

 

He still wasn’t completely sure why he had.

 

It was during the game, when he looked up into the stands, and saw Oikawa and Iwaizumi standing there looking down at them. It was when he noticed that Oikawa’s eyes hadn’t left Kageyama once the entire game. When Kageyama began to yell at him for not giving his all and he knew that Oikawa was staring at them, because he was watching Kageyama and Kageyama was putting his attention on Kunimi.

 

He had thought being around Kageyama would get Oikawa to focus on him.

 

This wasn’t the type of focus he wanted.

 

He forced himself to keep his face blank as Kageyama turned back to his position. He was furious. He was hurt. He was embarrassed.

 

And he gave the signal.

 

The next time Kageyama tossed the ball in Kindaichi’s direction, no one was there to get it. The team had stopped moving completely, had turned away from the dictator setter. Kageyama was pulled from the game and the backup setter was put in. They lost.

 

But Kunimi noticed that, even with Kageyama on the bench, Oikawa’s eyes didn’t leave him.

 

He wasn’t sure why he had decided to join Aoba Johsai. It was true that most of the athletes from his school moved onto the high school after graduation but Kunimi had told himself for years that he was going to go somewhere else. Because he had decided that he was truly going to give up on Oikawa – even if his actions over the past few years had countered that train of thought. But he had been offered a place on the volleyball team and Kindaichi was going to be joining – and he knew Kageyama wasn’t. Some traitorous part in Kunimi’s mind told him that without Kageyama there, it was more likely that Oikawa would notice him.

 

He pushed the thought away.

 

But he still joined the team.

 

“Oh, look who followed their favorite senpai!” Oikawa crowed the first day once the first years had lined up. He came up behind Kunimi and Kindaichi and threw his arms around their shoulders, making both of the boys stumble just slightly. “Iwa-chan, look! Our little babies are here!”

 

“Don’t call them babies, Trashykawa,” Iwaizumi snapped but his eyes were kind when he looked at the two boys. “Glad you two are here.”

 

The other first years looked toward them enviously as Iwaizumi and Oikawa spoke to them a bit more before the rest of the team showed up. Then Oikawa moved away from them, Kunimi missing the warmth of his arm as soon as it left his shoulders, and gave a speech to the new comers. Each of the first years introduced themselves and stated which school they had come from, Oikawa beaming when it came time for Kindaichi and Kunimi to do the same.

 

It became evident fairly quickly that both Kindaichi and Kunimi were better than the other first years. Oikawa had the first years run various drills and he always had a slight frown between his brows by the end of the practice. When it came time for them to split up, Oikawa recommended that Kindaichi and Kunimi practice with the starters and second line players. Coach agreed and Kunimi found himself being ushered away from the rest of the first and second years that usually cheered from the stands.

 

That was how Kunimi found himself spending more and more time with the third year setter. Iwaizumi was quick to take Kindaichi under his wing and he helped Kunimi on occasion, but Oikawa had decided that he was going to train Kunimi himself, despite the fact that the younger boy a wing spiker. He refused to give his reasons why when Makki and Mattsun asked but Kunimi thought he knew why. Because Oikawa had watched as Kunimi was yelled at by Kageyama. And he wanted to prove to the younger setter than he was better.

 

Even without Kageyama here, Oikawa was still more focused on him.

 

So, it wasn’t truly a surprise when Coach announced that they would be playing a practice match against Karasuno.

 

But it didn’t stop Kunimi from being upset.

 

“Come on, Sleepy-chan!” Oikawa said that night as the rest of the team left. He was still there, practicing with the setter and Iwaizumi and Kindaichi were off to the side working on blocking. “Let’s try it again. We want to show Tobio-“

 

Kunimi rolled his eyes, “yeah, I know. Show Kageyama what we can do without him. I know.”

 

Oikawa’s head tilted slightly and Kunimi turned away from those calculating eyes. “Sleepy-chan, do you not want to beat Tobio-chan?”

 

_Oh, you have no idea._

“Let’s just run it again,” Kunimi muttered as he prepared to throw the ball in Oikawa’s direction. Oikawa opened his mouth in protest but Kunimi quickly threw the ball his way and began to run toward the net – only to stop when Oikawa caught the ball instead of tossing it. “What are you-“

 

“I feel like I’m missing something,” Oikawa said bluntly, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully and his lips pursed. “You and Tobio-chan became friends in junior high. You obviously had a troubled relationship during your third year. You should want to prove that you’re better than he said you were. But you seem to be…”

 

“Can we just get this over with?” Kunimi asked in his usual monotone voice. Inside he was panicking. Oikawa was intelligent, no doubt about that. If he had the pieces he would be able to put them together.

 

So Kunimi needed to make sure that he never had all the pieces.

 

“I think we’re done for today,” Oikawa stated after another moment of staring at Kunimi. “Go get some rest, Sleepy-chan. I’ll see you at practice tomorrow.”

 

Kunimi didn’t waste any time in bowing his head and walking out of the gym toward the clubroom. He was in the process of changing his shirt when the door opened and Kindaichi stepped in. “What the hell happened? Oikawa got this weird look on his face and Iwaizumi-san basically told me to go after you.”

 

“Nothing happened,” Kunimi muttered as the fabric glided over his head and fell into place. “We were finished.”

 

“You _weren’t_ finished,” Kindaichi countered, crossing his arms over his chest and scowling at his friend. “We could see you, you know. Oikawa would have happily continued for another hour or so until Iwaizumi-san pulled him away. But you said something and now Oikawa’s in his weird analytical mode.”

 

Kunimi huffed and shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know. It isn’t my problem, anyway. Are you coming with me?”

 

Kindaichi’s scowl increased by he nodded his head. “Yeah. Let me change.”

 

Kunimi nodded and sat on one of the benches, pulling his book out of his bag. Kidaichi always took a long time to get changed and he didn’t want to sit there staring into space as the boy did so. He began engrossed in the story, as he usually was, and only looked up when he heard a loud gasp.

 

“Sleepy-chan! That’s my favorite book!” Oikawa said dramatically, pointing to the book in question. Kunimi’s eyebrows raised in surprise. First because he hadn’t even known that Oikawa and Iwaizumi were in the room. Second because it was his favorite book as well.

 

“Mine too,” he replied as he turned his attention back to the words.

 

But he didn’t get to read anything because Oikawa was falling onto the bench beside him with wide, excited eyes. “Really?! Iwa-chan refuses to read it and I have no one to talk to about it! So you’ve read it before? I read it at least once a year!”

 

Kunimi blinked and slowly closed the book. “I do as well. Kindaichi read a chapter before saying it was stupid so…”

 

“What?! Kindaichi-kun,” wait, why did Kindaichi get his full name and Kunimi was stuck with ‘Sleepy-chan’?, “you said it was stupid?! I don’t think we can be friends anymore.”

 

Kindaichi blinked in surprise and glanced at Iwaizumi in confusion. “Where we friends in the first place, Oikawa-senpai?”

 

Oikawa’s mouth dropped open and Kunimi muffled a laugh behind his hand. His friend was always a bit blunt – mostly because he didn’t really understand what was happening around him most of the time. It was always amusing to watch. “What – Iwa-chan!”

 

“Don’t look at me,” Iwaizumi muttered as he stripped off his jersey. Kunimi quickly glanced away when he felt a blush spread across his face. So what if his soulmate was technically the boy sitting beside him? He wasn’t blind and Iwaizumi was nice to look at.

 

Too bad he caught the look of realization and mischievous in Oikawa’s eyes.

 

Great. Perfect.

 

Now the idiot thought he liked Iwaizumi.

 

“Ready to go?” Kunimi muttered, standing from the bench and placing the book back in his bag. Kindaichi nodded quickly and Kunimi raised his eyebrows when he saw the bright blush on his friends face. Huh. Apparently he wasn’t the only person tempted by their upperclassman.

 

“Bye Sleepy-chan! Kindaichi-kun! See you tomorrow morning!”

 

“Would you get dressed already, Shittykawa? I want to go home!”

 

Whatever reply Oikawa came up with was lost as the door closed behind Kunimi. He let out a deep sigh. “He wears me out.”

 

Kindaichi glanced at him with a smile. “Everything wears you out. I thought you would have been happy to finally have someone to talk to about that book of yours.”

 

Kunimi carefully kept his face blank at the words but he really was a bit surprised and excited. Not because he wanted to talk to the other boy about the book, though it would be nice, but because it had no idea that he and Oikawa actually had something in common. _The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy_ wasn’t something he expected the cool and popular Oikawa Tooru to enjoy.

 

It made Kunimi wonder just how much he truly knew about the other boy.

 

They had almost reached Kunimi’s house when Kindaichi let out a deep breath. “Are you going to tell me?”

 

Kunimi’s brows rose. “Tell you what?”

 

“Whatever happened that made you and Oikawa stop practicing early.”

 

Kunimi didn’t respond for a minute and the two walked in silence. He saw Kindaichi’s shoulders fall from the corner of his eye and he knew the other thought he was ignoring the question. It made him feel a bit guilty. “I’m tired of everything I do being because of Kageyama.”

 

Kindaichi stopped walking and he turned to Kunimi, a frown of confusion plastered across his face. “What do you mean? What does _Kageyama_ ,” the name was spat like a curse, “have to do with anything?”

 

Kunimi stared at his friend. He had kept it a secret for three years. He trusted Kindaichi wouldn’t say anything but just knowing that his friend knew about it…would witness it…it was not something that Kunimi wanted to deal with. But at the same time, he felt a bit guilty for keeping it from Kindaichi. They had been friends since elementary school. He had stuck beside him through everything. What it, years down the line, the other boy found out on accident and realized that Kunimi had purposely kept it from him? He would be hurt. And upset. And he might even…he might even end their friendship over it.

 

And Kunimi wouldn’t be able to blame him for doing so.

 

He sighed at the swirl of thoughts but he had made up his mind. “Do you remember when I said we should be friends with Kageyama? And you asked me why?”

 

Kindaichi nodded curtly, “you said you felt bad because he was always alone.”

 

“That wasn’t exactly true,” Kunimi murmured and he began to walk towards his house once more. Kindaichi was quick to follow him. “I was…jealous, I suppose. I thought that if we became friends with Kageyama, other people would notice us. Me. Notice me.”

 

“I don’t understand,” Kindaichi admitted after a moment. “Why would being friends with Kageyama make someone notice you?”

 

Kunimi pursed his lips and pushed open his front door. He called out a hello to his parents, his mother and father both responding, and then went down the hall into his room with Kindaichi trailing after him. “Are you staying for dinner, Kindaichi-kun?”

 

Kindaichi blushed, “If that is okay?”

 

“It’s always okay,” Kunimi’s mother tutted fondly before leaving her son and his friend to themselves. Kunimi was quick to shut the door behind her and Kindaichi sat on Kunimi’s desk chair, looking at the other boy demandingly.

 

Kunimi sighed and sank down onto his bed. He carefully lifted his pant leg and began to slip his soulmark band off. It was something he had obsessively worn since he realized is mark matched Oikawa’s – especially since the older boy never covered his own. Kindaichi’s mouth dropped as the mark was revealed. A dark blue body of water with a bright moon overhead, reflecting off of the blue beneath it. It was a beautiful mark, one that Kunimi loved to look at. It was also a familiar mark because every single person on their team had seen it countless times. There was even close up pictures of it on Oikawa’s fan sites.

 

Kunimi had even heard that one girl had gotten it painted on her leg, right above her angle, and shown Oikawa in an attempt to make him think she was his soulmate. The boy was quick to put an end to the charade.

 

“I saw it that first day in junior high,” Kunimi muttered as Kindaichi stared in shock. “I was wearing the band that day because I wasn’t sure if people in junior high covered their marks like a lot of them did in elementary or not. But Oikawa was so close to Iwaizumi-san that I thought he might be upset if I told him. And then he became fixated on Kageyama…”

 

“He barely spoke to us,” Kindaichi muttered, his voice hoarse. His eyes had yet to move. “Iwaizumi and the second years usually helped us and Oikawa worked with the main players…”

 

“And Kageyama,” Kunimi finished the unspoken words and realization flittered across Kindaichi’s face. “It was stupid. I still really don’t know why I did it. But then we became friends…well, until he went King on us.”

 

“Oikawa-senpai has been obsessing over the practice match,” Kindaichi said, his voice awed. “That’s why you were upset earlier. Because Kageyama-“

 

“He said I should want to do better to prove a point to Kageyama,” Kunimi muttered, a pain of anger and hurt in his chest. “I thought I was done with that. With everything being about him.” He rolled down his pant leg once more and Kindaichi’s eyes finally returned to Kunimi’s face. “I know that Oikawa-san and I would be…would not work out. I’m not like all those girls and boys that follow him around-“

 

“Maybe that’s a good thing,” Kindaichi said quickly. He rubbed the back of his neck at Kunimi’s blank look. “I mean, whenever he goes out with one of them, it doesn’t really work out, right? Maybe that’s because he needs something different.”

 

“I doubt it,” Kunimi responded, lying on his bed and throwing his arm over his eyes. He was tired of this conversation. He had always known that if he told Kindaichi, the other boy would try to get him to tell Oikawa. But he wasn’t going to do that. No matter what his best friend had to say.

 

Practice the next morning was awkward. Awkward because Oikawa kept giving him these stupid smiles and looking at Iwaizumi pointedly, awkward because Iwaizumi looked confused each time he did it, awkward because Kindaichi was uncomfortable and refused to look in Oikawa’s direction…just awkward. “Sleepy-chan! Plan to stay late today since we cut short last night!”

 

Perfect.

 

So Kunimi found himself staying after as the rest of the players, including Iwaizumi and Kindaichi, left for the night. Kindaichi sent him a panicked look but Kunimi rolled his eyes and his best friend was quick to escape. It wasn’t until every person was gone that Oikawa turned to Kunimi with a wicked grin. “So…does Sleepy-chan have something to tell his amazing senpai?”

 

“Not particularly,” Kunimi sighed.

 

“Don’t be like that!” Oikawa came up beside him and put his arm around Kunimi’s shoulder. “If you have a crush on Iwa-chan-“

 

“Iwaizumi-san is very nice to look at,” Kunimi said bluntly as he moved out of Oikawa’s grasp. “That does not mean I have a crush.”

 

Oikawa pouted. “Iwa-chan isn’t good to look at!” He said loudly and mockingly. “He’s ugly and muscley and-“

 

“He isn’t ugly, Oikawa-san,” Kunimi sighed. He was tired again. He sat on the floor of the gym. If he was going to be having this conversation, he would rather not be standing. He would get up when Oikawa actually decided it was time for them to practice. “He just isn’t as attractive as you. But there is nothing wrong with him being ‘muscley’.”

 

Oikawa’s mouth dropped and that line between his eyebrows appeared again. But the look faded quickly as another grin overtook his face. “Sleepy-chan, did you just call me attractive?”

 

Kunimi rolled his eyes. “Everyone know’s you’re attractive, Oikawa-san. It’s your personality that turns people away.”

 

“Rude!”

 

“Honest,” Kunimi muttered and Oikawa glared. “I have to admit, I thought that this would be a conversation of you telling me to stay away from your Iwa-chan!,” Kunimi finally said as he stared up at Oikawa.

 

The boy’s glare melted away into one of confusion. “Why would I do that?”

 

Kunimi shrugged. “I thought you had feelings for Iwaizumi-san.”

 

Pure horror was the only definition Kunimi could come up with to describe the look that Oikawa had on his face. He was shaking his head frantically, not even caring that his ‘perfect’ hair was being thrown from one side to the other. “What? Ew! No! Why would you think – ew! He’s my best friend. More like a brother, I guess. No, no, no! Oh, so gross!”

 

Kunimi rolled his eyes at the reaction but he had to admit that it made him feel…a bit better. Like something in his chest had lightened at the words and actions. “Well, alright. I suppose I was wrong.”

 

“Wrong! So very, very wrong!”

 

“But why are you so focused on me? Kindaichi was there last night as well and anyone could see that he _actually_ has a crush on Iwaizumi-san.”

 

Oikawa’s mouth fell open yet again. “He _does_?!”

 

Kunimi stared at the older boy. “How do you not know that? Everyone knows that. Even Coach knows that. And he was bright red last night when Iwaizumi-san took off his shirt. I thought the only person that didn’t know was Iwaizumi-san.”

 

Oikawa blinked a few times, his gaze clouding over as he replayed multiple interactions in his head. Slowly, he sank down onto the floor, his bad knee extended in front of him while his good knee was bent. “How did I miss that?” he whispered in an awed voice.

 

“No clue,” Kunimi responded, amusement lacing his tone. “Not something I expect of you, Oikawa-san.”

 

“What is Kindaichi’s soulmark?!” Oikawa demanded, leaning forward intently and staring at Kunimi’s eyes.

 

Kunimi’s heart began to pound at the word. “No idea.”

 

“What?! Your best friends! You’ve known each other for years! How do you not know?!”

 

Kunimi shrugged and forced himself to keep looking at Oikawa despite the fact his heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest. “In elementary they want us to keep them covered and he continued to do so. I’ve never seen it.”

 

He wondered if the reason Kindaichi kept his covered was because Kunimi had made sure no one ever saw his. The boy tended to follow what Kunimi did when it came to things like that. He had never thought of it before but…he should probably ask him. Maybe he just wasn’t comfortable with it being on display.

 

“But…but what if it matches Iwa-chan’s and they never know?!”

 

Oh, this was getting into a dangerous territory. Kunimi pushed himself to his feet. “I don’t know, Oikawa-san. I’m sure if it’s meant to be, they’ll figure it out. Now, are we going to practice?”

 

The two practiced for almost two hours, only stopping when an irritated Iwaizumi showed up in the gym doorway, yelling at Oikawa for pushing himself and Kunimi so hard. Iwaizumi dismissed him and said he and Oikawa would clean the gym, much to Oikawa’s annoyance, but Kunimi left quickly. He didn’t want to clean either and Oikawa had kept him longer than usual. He figured the other boy should have some consequences for that.

 

The next day, Kunimi was amused to see that Kindiachi was now on the receiving end of Oikawa’s pointed looks. The boy was staring at Kunimi in pure panic for most of the practice and Oikawa only stopped when Iwaizumi began to yell at him for “distracting Kindaichi you dumbass!”.

 

Kunimi didn’t think he had ever enjoyed a practice more.

 

“What did you do?” Kindaichi hissed as they made their way toward the first year hallway. Kunimi merely smiled at his friend before ducking into his class, Kindaichi yelling behind him.

 

“Karasuno has accepted the day for the practice match,” Coach announced that afternoon. And just like that, the lightness that had been in Kunimi’s chest all day was extinguished.

 

Okawa pushed them hard that afternoon. Hard enough that even Makki and Mattsun began to complain and Iwaizumi was beginning to snap. But that wasn’t what really bothered Kunimi. No, what bothered him was the fact that a certain name kept getting brought up.

 

“Tobio-chan decided to go to Karasuno and there has to be a reason.”

 

“Tobio-chan will do anything to win.”

 

“Sleepy-chan and Kindaichi-kun will be good against Tobio-chan. We need to…”

 

Every single time, Kunimi found himself clenching his jaw or digging his nails into the palms of his hands. Kindaichi kept looking at him in concern and, at some point, Iwaizumi had followed the first years gaze and had taken to watching Kunimi as well. He looked more and more concerned as the practice went on but Kunimi ignored him.

 

But at the end of practice, Kunimi couldn’t handle it anymore.

 

They were beginning to clean up under the eye of the third years, Coach walking toward the door to exit the gym, when Oikawa spoke, “Sleepy-chan! Let’s practice again tonight. Tobio-chan-“

 

“No.”

 

Every person in the gym seemed to freeze at the harsh tone. Even Coach had turned around. Oikawa blinked, “Excuse me?”

 

“I’m not staying after again tonight. I don’t care that Karasuno is coming and I’m sick of everything revolving around Kageyama,” Kunimi snapped. Kindaichi started toward his friend, his bottom lip between his teeth. Yahaba and Watari exchanged a glance. Makki and Mattsun both raised their eyebrows in delight. And Iwaizumi looked confused, his eyes going from Oikawa to Kunimi and back again.

 

“Nothing _revolves_ around Tobio-chan!” Oikawa snapped, his cheerful façade fading.

 

Kunimi laughed bitterly. “ _Everything_ revolves around him. I have a question Oikawa-san – why do you call me Sleepy-chan?”

 

“What? What does that matt-“

 

“Because you began to call me that in junior high after I became friends with Kageyama,” Kunimi retorted, his throat burning as he forced out the words. “Because before then you didn’t care who I was. Because you didn’t want to admit that you couldn’t remember my name.”

 

Even Makki and Mattsun were staring with wide eyes now. Iwaizumi winced. “Kunimi, that isn’t exactly-“

 

“It’s true,” Kunimi muttered, turning on his heel and moving toward the doors. “I think I’m going to go home. I’m not feeling well. Sorry for not helping cleanup.”

 

Not even Coach stopped him as he walked out the doors.

 

Kunimi skipped practice the next morning. It wasn’t something he did often but he did it enough that it wasn’t odd. He didn’t want to face the rest of the team, especially first thing in the morning. He walked toward the clubroom slowly that afternoon and ignored the way everyone fell silent when he walked inside. He could admit that he was thankful that neither Iwaizumi nor Oikawa seemed to be in the room, though Yahaba tried to say something. Watari was quick to pull his friend away as Kunimi stared at him with cold eyes.

 

Iwaizumi was in the gym and he hesitantly made his way toward Kunimi when the other boy walked inside. “Oikawa’s out for the next two days. We announced it this morning but…” he cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck. “Uh, about last night-“

 

“It’s fine,” Kunimi muttered. “I’ll do my best so that we can win against Kageyama. Sorry about my outburst.”

 

“That wasn’t what I was going to-“

 

“Shouldn’t we start practice, Iwaizumi-senpai?” Kindaichi asked quickly, biting his lip yet again. Iwaizumi sighed but nodded his head. Kunimi was surprised to see Yahaba standing in Oikawa’s spot. Right. Oikawa was out. Three days before the practice match.

 

Odd.

 

“He hurt his ankle,” Kindaichi told him as they walked home that night after practice. “He, uh, stayed late last night and…Iwaizumi-senpai said he landed wrong. They’re sure it’s just a light sprain but Coach banned him from practice until he’s cleared.”

 

So he stayed late after Kunimi snapped at him and then hurt himself. Probably because he was distracted and irritated.

 

Great.

 

Kunimi didn’t see Oikawa again until the practice match. He couldn’t say he wasn’t happy to see him. It was one thing to say he didn’t care about Karasuno or the match. It was another to actually be losing. Karasuno was disjointed, missing players, and their little redhead couldn’t do anything except jump high and hit Kageyama’s toss, and yet his team was losing to them.

 

It was humbling.

 

And extremely annoying.

 

Oikawa appeared right after they lost the second set and Kunimi felt something tighten in his chest when he saw that he first thing the other boy did was go over to taunt Kageyama. He hadn’t even looked in Kunimi’s direction.

 

Oikawa was sent off to warm up and the game continued. Karasuno was close to winning when Oikawa was placed in as a pitch server. He managed to close the gap between the teams but it didn’t stop Karasuno from taking the set and the game.

 

Kindaichi and Kageyama had an interaction after the match that left his best friend upset. Kunimi was quick to slap the other boy on the back for the emotion – no one should be upset over Kageyama Tobio. At least, not now. He wasn’t surprised to go back into the gym and see the team cleaning up – all except Oikawa who had disappeared. Kunimi was sure that he and every other person knew where the boy had gone.

 

“Are they soulmates?” Makki asked Iwaizumi and the vice-captain choked on the water he was drinking.

  
“What?!”

 

“Well, I can’t imagine anyone else being able to get under Oikawa’s skin like that. It would make sense if they were.”

 

Kunimi threw the volleyball he had picked up into the bin and scowled darkly. It would make sense. He could understand why someone would think that Oikawa and Kageyama were soulmates. It was as fitting as Oikawa and Iwaizumi.

 

Kunimi didn’t make sense.

 

“I don’t…think so,” Iwaizumi finally said but everyone could hear his hesitation. “I mean, I don’t remember Kageyama’s soulmark but I don’t think…”

 

“He isn’t,” Kunimi’s head whipped around as Kindaichi scowled at his upperclassmen. The third years all looked surprised at the look and Kunimi realized this was the first time Kindaichi had ever disagreed with them on anything. “Kageyama is _not_ Oikawa’s soulmate.”

 

Iwaizumi’s shoulders relaxed at the words and his lips turned up slightly in Kindaichi’s direction. “See? I suppose Kindaichi saw his soulmark in junior high-“

 

He broke off at panic on Kindaichi’s face. Kunimi cursed under his breath. His friend was a terrible liar – especially to Iwaizumi. “What’s this?” Makki caught on instantly, moving toward Kindaichi with narrowed eyes.

 

“What’s with the look, Kindaichi-kun?” Mattsun questioned from Kindaichi’s other side.

 

“There are only two ways you could truly know they aren’t soulmates. The first is that you’ve seen Kageyama’s mark.”

 

“And your look says you haven’t.”

 

“The second is that you _already know who Oikawa’s soulmate is_.”

 

“No! I don- how would I… what are you doing?!” Kindaichi yelled as Mattsun quickly got behind him and wrapped his arms around his chest, keeping his arms pinned to his sides. Makki dropped to the ground and peered at Kindaichi’s ankle, even pulling his sock down slightly to make sure he didn’t miss anything. He pouted.

 

“Nothing.”

 

“Just means it isn’t him.”

 

“But it could be someone he knows.”

 

Realization crossed Iwaizumi’s face and he slowly turned toward Kunimi.

 

Kunimi’s heart began to pound.

 

“Someone that would trust him with the secret.”

 

“Someone that he would fight for…”

 

As one, they turned toward Kunimi.

 

He ran,

 

He was out the door and down the hall before the boys even realized what he was doing. With a yell, he heard footsteps pounding behind him. He pushed past the doors and made his way outside, confident that Kindaichi would grab his things. He just needed to get home and then he could figure out what he was going to do –

 

He slammed into a tall figure, sending them both to the ground.

 

“Ouch! What are you…Kunimi-chan? Where you running?”

 

Kunimi stared down with panicked eyes. He had run into Oikawa. He lying on top of Oikawa. And he had three upperclassmen chasing him. He barely noticed that Oikawa had used his name for the first time as he quickly pulled himself to his feet. He had only taken a few steps when he heard it. “Oikawa! Grab him!”

 

“Don’t let him run!”

 

Oikawa, blinking in confusion, was quick enough to get in front of Kunimi and grab the boys’ shoulders. Kunimi tried to twist away but Oikawa’s hands tightened. “Eh? What’s going on?!” he demanded as Makki, Mattsun, and Iwaizumi caught up to them.

 

“Damn! This kid can run when he wants to!”

 

“Yeah! Just how much have you been slacking off during laps?!”

 

“Let me go,” Kunimi demanded. Oikawa’s hands slowly fell to his sides but Mattsun was quick to block Kunimi’s path. He glanced around and sighed in irritation when he realized the four upperclassmen had surrounded him.

 

“Someone tell me what’s happening!”

 

“Good question,” Mattsun mused, raising an eyebrow at Kunimi. “Something to tell us, Kunimi-kun? Well, maybe something to tell our fearless leader?”

 

“Eh? Tell me what?”

 

Makki stepped closer to Kunimi, “I get it now. Why you were so mad about Kageyama.”

 

“Tobio-chan? Is this…this about the other night? Kunimi-chan, I’m sorry if I-“

 

“Don’t apologize to him,” Iwaizumi said, his voice a low growl that had Kunimi wishing he could take a step away from the third year. But he couldn’t. If he did, he would find himself pressed against Oikawa. “If anything, he should be apologizing to you.”

 

“…what?”

 

“I’m sorry!” Kindaichi panted as he finally came up beside him. Kunimi glared at him from over Iwaizumi’s shoulder. He really should have just kept his mouth shut. He looked back at Kunimi pleadingly. “I didn’t mean to! I didn’t think they would-“

 

“Figure it out?” Iwaizumi finished as he rounded on the other first year. Kunimi eyed the small opening that was left at the motion but flinched when Mattsun narrowed his eyes and took another step forward. “I can’t believe you knew and didn’t say anything!”

 

“I just found out!”

 

  
“You should have told me when you did!”

 

“I…he didn’t want… I thought if I let him…”

 

Iwaizumi growled and spun back around to face Kunimi. “Tell him. Now. If you don’t, I will.” He motioned toward both Makki and Mattsun and the two boys grumbled as they began to follow him back toward the school. Kindaichi bit his lip and sent one last apologetic look Kunimi’s way before Iwaizumi grabbed the boy by the shirt and pulled him along with them.

 

“Well,” Oikawa commented once the four were out of sight. “That was dramatic.”

 

Kunimi closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Fine. Maybe he shouldn’t have kept it a secret. Maybe that wasn’t…fair. He could just tell him now, get the rejection over with, and they could go back to being teammates. Hopefully Iwaizumi would get over his anger before he graduated. Kunimi’s shoulders slumped and he slowly made his way toward a tree not too far away. Oikawa followed him closely, not being told that he needed to do so. Kunimi sat under the shade, Oikawa slowly doing the same across from him. “Okay,” Oikawa said after a moment Kunimi staring at him in silence. “Here we are. Where you are supposed to tell me something because Iwa-chan is really angry. And Makki and Mattsun chased you down. Actually chased you. What did you do?”

 

Kunimi winced and leaned forward to slowly unwrap his soulmark band. Oikawa watched him curiously but it only took the first section of the mark to be revealed before his eyes widened in shock. He pushed Kunimi’s hands away and quickly unwrapped it himself, throwing the band to the side as the mark was revealed in all its glory.

 

“You have to be kidding me!” Oikawa exploded. Kunimi pulled his leg back quickly, pressing his knees against his chest. Oikawa stood furiously and stared down at the boy with a vein popping on his forehead. “You – I – do you have any idea what I’ve done to try to find – no, of course you don’t. You didn’t need to look. How long have you –“

 

“First day of junior high.”

 

“First-“ Oikawa broke off and covered his face with his hands. “You – Kunimi-chan, I am very, very close to saying something I really shouldn’t right now. Talk.”

 

Kunimi winced. “I – saw the mark but thought you and Iwaizumi were…and then you seemed to be so focused on Kageyama and there was your fanclub. I just thought it would be easier-“

 

“Easier. Because you thought I liked Iwaizumi. Or Kageyama,” Oikawa said flatly, his hand falling to his side. He slumped onto the grass once more and closed his eyes tightly. “I suppose that was the cause of your…comments the other night? That I didn’t notice until you –“ his eyes widened. “Kunimi-chan, did you talk to Kageyama because…”

 

Kunimi shifted uncomfortably. No matter how many times it was said, he still felt bad about it. “At first,” he muttered. Oikawa groaned.

 

“No more of that!” He scolded. “Just- you know, all you had to do was tell me.”

 

“I didn’t want you to just pay attention to me because I forced you to.”

 

“It wouldn’t have forced me-“ he closed his eyes once more and shook his head. “Right, okay, fine. We can talk about that later. About all of it later. Right now, we’re going to go inside, help with cleanup, and then we are going to go home so you can do whatever it is you want to do and I can calm down. And then tomorrow, after practice which you will be attending, we can talk. Alright?”

 

Kunimi nodded slowly and Oikawa let out another deep breath. Kunimi couldn’t help but notice the frown that had yet to leave his face as Oikawa bent down to pull Kunimi to his feet. “Come on.” Kunimi went to grab the soulmate band but Oikawa grabbed it before he could. He kept it clenched in his hand as they marched toward the gym and Kunimi’s palms began to sweat. He…didn’t want everyone to see it. Not now and not like this. But if it made Oikawa feel better about all of this…about what he had done…

 

But Oiakwa stopped before they went inside and handed the band to him. “Come inside when you’re done,” he murmured. Kunimi nodded quickly and began to wrap his ankle once more. Oikawa was gone before he looked up.

 

Kindaichi was by his side the instant he stepped into the gym. “I’m sorry! So, so sorry!”

 

“It’s fine,” Kunimi said placatingly. “I – I shouldn’t have hid it. I shouldn’t have asked you to hide it. It…it will be fine.”

Kindaichi bit his lip, “So, what happened?” he asked lowly.

 

Kunimi shrugged. “He wants to talk tomorrow. He…isn’t happy.”

 

Kindaichi winced and clapped a friendly hand on his shoulder. “I’m sure it will be fine. Oikawa-senpai isn’t a bad person. I’m sure he’ll understand.”

 

Kunimi wasn’t so sure.

 

He went home that night and stretched out on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. It had all made sense when he was younger. Why he was doing it. Why he couldn’t tell. But now, well, now it just seemed cruel. Because he knew Oikawa. Everyone joked about how the boy was a romantic, how he dated but he always made sure the other person knew that he was waiting for his soulmate. Kunimi had just thought the other boy would forget about it eventually and find someone else. But…but he should have thought about Oikawa and not just himself.

 

He had been selfish.

 

And had hurt people because of it.

 

Oikawa barely glanced at him during practice the next morning. Oh, he played well, sending tosses to Kunimi occasionally, but he made it obvious that he wasn’t ready to speak to the other boy yet. It didn’t help that Iwaizumi was still glaring and Makki and Mattsun scowled whenever he looked at them. Kindaichi cowered each time they turned the looks on him.

 

Kunimi sighed. It was his fault. He wished they would just leave Kindaichi alone.

 

He went to class in a daze and afternoon practice was scarily similar to morning practice. Even Coach gave him a disapproving look which meant that someone had told him what was happening. Yahaba pursed his lips each time Kunimi walked by. At least Watari was sending him consoling glances occasionally. When practice ended, everyone was quick to disperse. He and Oikawa were the only two left and Oikawa motioned for him to go into the clubroom. Kunimi did so hesitantly but Oikawa just turned toward his locker and began to change. Kunimi blushed and quickly faced his own locker.

 

The two changed in silence and Oikawa locked the clubroom before they began walking down the street. Kunimi wasn’t sure where they were going but he didn’t think it really mattered. “I’m still angry,” Oikawa finally sighed when they were a few blocks away from the school. “I’ve mentioned my soulmate many times, Kunimi-chan. You never said anything.”

 

“I know.”

 

Oikawa’s jaw clenched. “I guess I can understand why you did it but I don’t like it. And I’m not going to not be angry because I understand it. Don’t ask me that.”

 

“I won’t.”

“I get a little obsessive over things,” Oikawa admitted. “Ever since I heard our coach in junior high talking about how great Tobio-chan is…I just wanted to be better. And I guess I did focus on him just a little too much. And…you were right about the name. I mean, I knew one of you was Kunimi! I just didn’t know if it was you or Kindaichi…you were always together and…and I guess I just started calling you Sleepy-chan in my head and even after I knew your name I just kept…”

 

“I don’t care,” Kunimi told him honestly. “I was just so angry. I didn’t mean for you to stop-“

 

“No,” Oikawa sighed, cutting him off. “I should have stopped. And I guess you had a right to be angry. I was taking things a bit too far. Even Iwa-chan told me that after you left. So yeah, sorry for that, I guess.”

 

Kunimi cringed. “Iwaizumi-san was right. Don’t apologize. If I hadn’t…If you had known that we were soulmates and you knew how much talking about Kageyama irritated me, I doubt you would have done it.”

 

“Even if we weren’t soulmates,” Oikawa corrected with a frown. “If you had told me about Kageyama before, I would have tried to stop. I might not have succeeded but I would have tried.”

 

Kunimi nodded in acknowledgement and the two continued to walk in silence. It wasn’t until they stopped in front of Kunimi’s house that Kunimi even realized where they were. He blinked and looked up at Oikawa in surprise. The older boy gave him a tight smile. “Look, Kunimi-chan. I’m still not exactly happy with the way things have played out. But I do want to get to know you better. I’m not saying date or anything because I feel like I barely know you, but I wouldn’t be opposed to…doing things together after practice a few times a week. Or something.” He shifted uncomfortably and Kunimi blinked.

 

Oikawa was nervous.

 

“Okay,” Kunimi agreed slowly. Oikawa’s eyes snapped to his in surprise and Kunimi let a small smile cross his face. “We can do that. I didn’t think we really had anything in common but…well, you can’t be all bad if your favorite book is _The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy_.”

 

 

Oikawa’s laughter echoed down the street and, just like that, Kunimi knew that they were going to be fine.

 


End file.
